


Through the Years

by TeaGirl42



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Inspired by A Christmas Carol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 19:07:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8812642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaGirl42/pseuds/TeaGirl42
Summary: We all know Ebenezer Scrooge let Belle walk away...surely Mulder would never be that stupid, or weak?





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a massive fan of every version of A Christmas Carol in existence, so this my little X-Files inspired version!

Bill Mulder was dead, to begin with. There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever about that. Mulder had seen to the burial himself…Bill Mulder was indeed as dead as a doornail.

Like Bill Mulder his son Fox was a cold, miserable and lonely man. Damn-right _Spooky_ if you asked his fellow agents at the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Mulder, as he preferred to be called, sat alone in his cold dark basement office at the Hoover building. It was getting late but Mulder liked it that way, he enjoyed the solitude and evenings were a great opportunity to catch up on work. Christmas was just an excuse to get in some extra hours. He shivered and got up to turn on the electric heater in the corner of his office.

He walked back past the _other_ desk in his office without even noticing it...it was empty and gathering dust. Sometimes it occurred to him that he should get it removed but he just never got around to it.

Mulder worked for several more hours, then gathered his things and headed out. He passed the custodial staff in the building without a word, went to his car and drove home.

When he got back to his apartment he dropped onto his couch without eating and fell fast asleep...

* * *

 At 11pm he woke with a start and grabbed for his gun…

"Who's there?" he asked into the darkness. _Silence._

"Who the hell is there? I can hear you! Come out here where I can see you!"

As his eyes adjusted to the dark Mulder could see a figure standing near his window. The silhouette stepped into the light and he saw a face he never thought he'd see again...he was silent for several seconds then gasped, _"Dad?"_

His father stood watching him quietly from the corner.

Mulder felt shock but strangely not fear. "How? What? I don't understand..."

Bill Mulder looked at his son with more love in his eyes than Mulder could ever remember seeing when he was alive.

"What are you doing with your life son? Running around chasing monsters in the dark? Didn't you learn _anything_ from me? I lost my whole life to this cause; I lost my family to these people long before we even lost Samantha. I didn't even realise until it was all over...what a waste it had all been. My one prize in life should have been your mother…and you and your sister. But I lost it all Fox...and now I can see you making the same mistakes. Who do you love son? _Who_ loves you? Who do you have in your life that makes your existence worthwhile?"

"I don't need anyone! I _like_ being on my own…it suits me just fine. I don't need people dragging me down and holding me back. Why should I bother letting people in when they all leave me in the end? _You_ where never there, neither was mom really, Samantha was taken away..." Mulder stopped mid-sentence. It wasn't necessary to go further down that road…the fact was that they _all_ left in the end.

Bill Mulder sat down next to his son and for the first time Mulder registered that he hadn't even questioned his fathers visit from beyond the grave.

"What are you _doing_ here, how is this even possible?" He asked moving a little closer to his fathers face.

Bill Mulder ignored the question. "Tonight you are going to be visited by _three_ spirits."

"Three spirits? Do you mind if I pass? The first one has been just about all I can take right now... _three_ just may just push me over the edge of my own sanity and…"

 _"YOU WILL BE VISITED BY THREE SPIRITS!"_ Bill Mulder shouted, standing up over his son and floating slightly off the floor.

"Okay… _three!"_ Mulder held up three fingers and sighed deeply. _"_ I've got ya..." He really wasn't in the mood for arguing with a figment of his own imagination. God he couldn't imagine what Sc...Mulder stopped this train of thought quickly and closed his eyes.

"The _first_ will come at 1am…the _second_ at 2am…and the _third_ at 3am." Bill Mulder explained as he walked towards the window.

Mulder opened his eyes and raised his eyebrows, "Are you sure we can't do them all in one go and get it over with? I know I'm not much of a sleeper as it is and I do have work to do tomorrow..."

Bill Mulder didn’t bother turning around as he slowly started to disappear into the window. "They will be the spirits of Christmas past, present _and_ future I hope they will be of help to you son and you can avoid the same fate as me...goodbye."

With that he disappeared completely and Mulder came to the conclusion that his final request had also been denied.

* * *

Mulder didn't sleep well at the best of times and having been told that he was to expect a ghost within the hour he figured it might be worth staying up. On the strike of 1am a small girl appeared to him. She looked to be no older than Samantha when she was taken...

"How can you be the spirit of Christmas past?" Mulder asked. "You're only a little girl..."

"I can remember over 2000 years Fox…." The girl replied simply.

Mulder flinched at the used of his first name but didn't comment, "Why are you here?"

The spirit smiled, "To benefit _your_ welfare…"

"My _welfare?_ A nights unbroken sleep would be a fine benefit to _my_ welfare…" Mulder sneered.

"For your _salvation_ then." The spirit came closer, "Are you ready to take a look at your past Fox?"

* * *

Before Mulder could answer he found himself back in his childhood home surrounded by decorations and the smell of Christmas dinner. A small girl that he realised he could only barely remember from pictures ran past him and along the hall…an older boy followed behind shouting.

"Get back here you little brat! I'll tell mom!"

Mulder couldn't believe his eyes. "That's Samantha," he needlessly told he companion. "This must have been the year before she was taken...and _that's_ me." He pointed to the boy chasing behind, "She was always being a pain…getting under my feet."

Mulder then heard his mom shouting from the kitchen. "Samantha Mulder! Get in here this minute and _stop_ annoying your brother…you can help me with the dinner."

 _"Awwwwww mom!”_ The little girl complained. “That’s not fair, I was only playin'!"

Teena appeared in the kitchen doorway with a warm smile, “I’m not punishing you sweetheart, I’d just like some company…come help me cook baby?”

Samantha smiled at her mom and nodded, “Sure mommy…” She looked back at young Mulder as she disappeared through the kitchen door, “I’m sorry Fox…we’re still friends?”

Mulder watched his younger self grin and shake his head with despair, “Of course Sammy… You go help mom and how about _later_ we watch a western on the TV?”

Samantha turned back and grinned broadly, “Sure Fox!”

Young Mulder looked over at his mom, "Where's dad? Is he coming home for dinner?"

Mrs Mulder walked over from the kitchen doorway leaned down to kiss her son’s forehead gently, "Daddy won't be home till this evening Fox. He has some _very_ important work to do that can't wait…we'll have to cope without him."

Mulder watched his younger self nod sadly at his mom and then slowly walk passed him and back into his bedroom. He thought back and remembered how many Christmases it had only been the three of them. "Before Sam went mom and I always made the effort,” he explained to his young companion, “…even though dad rarely made it home until Christmas evening. After she wasn't there anymore no one seemed to bother. Christmas was _cancelled_ in the Mulder household."

* * *

The scene had faded and now Mulder found himself back in his familiar basement office at the FBI headquarters. He could see himself…maybe ten years younger than he was now. He watched himself sitting behind his desk working, just as he had been earlier that evening.

Then Mulder heard laughter coming from the corridor and the door swung open. Diana Fowley fell through the door drunkenly, she called back into the corridor; “You guys wait a minute, just going to check in on my partner!”

 _"Foxy Fox!"_ she slurred slightly. "The parties only just startin', leave all this and come for a drink...you _know_ you want to…"

Mulder watched himself look up wearily from his work, "Diana, there's too much to do, I really think I'm on to something here. If I can just figure out what..."

" _BORING!"_ shouted one of Diana's cohorts from the corridor outside the office. "Come on Di lets get back to the party and leave _Spooky_ to his work!"

Diana laughed and shook her head at Mulder with disapproval. “You used to know how to have a good time Fox…”

With that she left as soon as she had arrived, seemingly forgetting the reason she came down in the first place.

Fox Mulder sat alone again.

"I used to hate those office parties…" Mulder said, watching his lonely younger self carry on working. "I'd always rather get some work done. I never really understood why she even bothered to ask."

His ghostly friend smiled, "But there was _someone_ you seemed to find more difficult to turn down, wasn't there Fox?"

There was a spark of recognition in Mulder's eyes and then the scene before them started to fade.

* * *

The new scene was pretty much the same as the old, although Mulder could see that he had aged several years. As he watch himself working in solitude the silence was broken by a sole familiar click of heels approaching down the corridor.

Mulder felt his heart clench.

He watched the door as it opened and then turned to watch his younger self as his looked up from his work. He saw the light flicker on in his own eyes and speechlessly watched the scene before him unfold. Mulder saw himself smile in a way that he had almost forgotten was even possible...

 _"Scully!"_  Mulder got up from his desk and walked round to where his partner was standing. "I thought you’d gone to drinks with your family tonight? One of the famous Scully Family Christmas rituals!"

Scully smiled warmly and sighed, "I did…but I left early. How did I know I’d find you here Mulder? You _promised_ me that you would finish early tonight."

Mulder nodded apologetically, "I know Scully…but I couldn't see the point of going home to an empty apartment on Christmas Eve."

Mulder hadn't realised how honest he had always been with Scully, even about how lonely he could get. He never usually allowed people to see that.

Scully smiled sadly but then her smile brightened. "Well then I'm glad I decided to leave early and come to find you. Come on Mulder pack up your stuff, _you_ are coming back to mine and I'll cook. We'll stop by yours to pick up some clothes and then you can sleep on the couch at mine. Christmas lunch will be at my moms of course!" Scully seemed to hesitate, "That is if you want to? I understand if you have other plans..."

Watching the scene Mulder could remember the joy he had felt at that moment…it felt like only yesterday as he watched as his younger self light up from the inside.

"I don't know what to say Scully…did you really leave your family to come here and find _me?_

Scully walked over and pulled her partner into a tight hug. "Yes I left to find you! I wasn't enjoying myself as much as I usually do tonight and it took me half the evening to figure out why... Mulder, one of my family wasn't there." She shifted to lay her head on his chest and continued, " _You_ are part of my family Mulder, Christmas wouldn't be the same without you there with me."

Mulder watched as Scully and himself gathered up his things and headed out of the office talking about whether there was time to stop for Mulder to get her mom a gift on their way 'home'.

Mulder and the young ghost were left standing alone in the dark office.

"Things changed over the following year didn't they Fox?" the spirit asked rhetorically. "Dana Scully told you that she loved you…and you loved her didn't you?"

"Of course I love her!" Mulder shouted and his voice echoed around the dark room and then went quiet. "I'd forgotten…" he said quietly, "…I'd forgotten how much I always loved her…how much I _need_  her."

"There was another Christmas Eve with this young women, two years later in this very room." The ghost said sadly.

Mulder looked up in horror, _"No please_ …I beg you not to show me that night!"

* * *

Mulder saw the light in the room change and looked to find himself sitting behind the desk again… _alone._ He heard those same familiar footsteps and the door opened slowly to reveal Dana Scully. She looked tired and much thinned than he had seen her just moments ago.

Scully looked at Mulder sadly, "You _promised_ me that you would finish early tonight Mulder…you said that we could go to my moms for drinks."

Mulder looked up at her, "Scully you _know_ how much work we have on, we can't afford to be frivolous and waste time on these things."

"I don't think it's wasting time Mulder…it's Christmas and I want to be with my family."

Mulder sighed irritably, "Then go be with them Scully, I'm not forcing you to be here."

Scully flinched, "But _you_ are part of my family Mulder, I want you to be there with us. What is so important that it can't wait?"

Mulder didn't answer.

"Mulder, you always said finding out what happened to Samantha was our goal, I know the answers weren’t what you had hoped for but at least now you know.”

He was silent.

“You _promised_ me, you said that when I got better we would take some time together. Time for us! I love you Mulder… _so much.”_

Mulder stood and slammed his palm down on his desk. "My work has _always_ been my life Scully, I told you that when we first met. Why would you think that would change now? I have so much to find…so much I still need to do."

Mulder stood in the corner listening to his former self and barely recognising the person that he had become. But what broke his heart the most was the look on Scully face, he was breaking her heart…how had he not seen that at the time?

He watched himself continue to talk with increasing horror.

"I can't allow myself to be distracted Scully. You know this is for you too…I love you." Mulder heard himself say the words, but there was no feeling in his voice.

"You did once." Scully said sadly as she swallowed hard and moved round the desk to kneel in front of her partner, she put her hand on his face and moved his head around to look into his eyes. "What happened to you Mulder? What is happened to _us?_ I can't even begin to imagine what the last few years have done to you. Your mother dying…finding out about Samantha...." Scully saw no emotion in his eyes, no change at her words. "But you _need_ to talk the me Mulder. You need to let me know what you are feeling. And I need to know that you still need me…because I need you Mulder...but I can’t keep doing this to myself…watching you slip away from me like this is killing me!"

Mulder watched Scully choke on her own tears and sat there not saying a word. He just stared at her blankly.

Scully tried to reach him one last time. "Mulder, do you have _any_ idea how much I love you? How much your love and strength keeps me going?"

Mulder smiled vaguely, "Scully, I really can't have this conversation right now. I'm _so_ close to something here!" He looked back at his work and continued without looking up. "Maybe once this case is over we can have a talk..."

His words drifted off towards the end and he never looked up.

Mulder stood in the corner and watched what he had never allowed himself to see on that day. The tears roll down Scully's face and the look in her eyes as they drained. He hadn't even noticed her leave the room. He could see it all now and his heart broke all over again...only this time the pain he felt was not for himself, it was for Scully. He watched himself sitting alone at his desk again and snapped, "Why didn't you stop her you _idiot!"_

The spirit came close, "You barely seemed to notice that she had gone when you came back to work two days later, you'd been out of town on a case and when you got back she had left."

"I...I...didn't know what to think. I think I was used to people leaving me…I expected it sooner or later. I just got on with my work and tried to forget."

The ghost looked at him carefully, “You really expected that? You expected her to leave you?”

Mulder turned away from he cold stranger sitting at his desk and looked at the door Dana Scully had just walked out of. _“No…”_ he replied refusing to look at the spirit. "She was the one person I never expected to leave me…I took that for granted. I took _her_ for granted.”

"You haven't seen her since that day." The spirit stated and single tear slipped down Mulder’s face.

 _"WHY DO YOU INSIST ON TORTURING ME?"_  He screamed at the ghost.

"I’ve already told you…" The spirit explained calmly. "These are shadows of the things that _have_ been...they are what they are...do not blame me."

* * *

Mulder found himself back on his couch crying quietly. Until the clock stuck 2am...

His apartment was filled with light and he awoke from a fitful sleep to the sound of jolly laughter.

_"HO-HO-HO!"_

Mulder sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"I am the spirit of Christmas present!" Said the large jolly man with a long beard. "I live in the present and _this_ present is Christmas Day! I have something very special to show you Fox."

Mulder was suddenly in a house that he didn't recognise. There was laughter and music, children where playing and running around. Then he saw someone he _did_ recognise and his heart jumped; Maggie Scully rounded that corner with a bowl of sweets for the children and they all swamped her.

Mulder looked over at his new companion, "Is this the _present_ spirit? This is tomorrow morning?"

The spirit nodded with a smile "Do you recognise that lady Fox?"

"Yes…yes of course I do. Where is...?" At that moment he heard a screech and three children ran round the corner heading for the sweets followed closely by…

"Auntie Day, Auntie Day! _Run faster!"_ The boys screamed.

Scully flopped down on the sofa near where Mulder standing. "I _give_ boys!" She laughed. "I'll sit here for ten minutes, the sweets are all yours…I'm not as fit as I used to be remember…"

She sat laughing as the boys raided the sweets and hugged them all in turn when they bought hands full of sweets over to her and sprinkled them into her lap.

Mulder looked at her carefully. It had been two years but Scully looked older...thin and tired. Her hair was longer…past her shoulders…but she hadn't really changed. She was _beautiful_ and Mulder felt better just looking at her.

Bill Scully walked in bellowing, "Come on, come on, enough of that! Lets leave Auntie Dana in peace for a little while. How about a game?"

"Dad!" shouted one of the boys. "Lets play the 'Yes/No' game!"

"Good idea honey…" Maggie Scully said as she joined the group. The room was practically full now.

"Bill you go first you always think of good ones!" Shouted a man at the back that Mulder suspected to be Charlie Scully.

"Okay..." agreed Bill. He thought for a second then smiled and nodded that he was ready.

"Vegetable?" shouted someone.

"No"

"Mineral?" Came another suggestion.

"No"

"It must be an animal then?" Margaret said.

"Definitely!” He laughed.

"Is it a popular animal?" Margaret questioned further.

"Definitely not!"

"A pest then?" A man asked.

_"YES!"_

"Something you would need to get an exterminator for?" Scully asked quietly from the sofa.

"Hopefully Dana…yes!"

"A Rat?" One child shouted.

"No"

"Flees?" Scully tried.

"No"

"Cockroaches?" Tried Margaret.

"No!"

 _"Awwww Dad!"_ Shouted one of the boys, "This is getting boring! What is it?"

Bill laughed and said, "Fox Mulder, Auntie Dana's old partner!"

Mulder stood in shock. He felt sick…then he turned to look at Scully. There had been a few laughs in the room at first, until the few who had laughed saw the look on Scully's face and quickly silenced.

Scully got up carefully and walked out of the room without saying a word.

Mulder followed behind Maggie Scully, who had gone after her daughter.

"I'm so sorry sweetie, I don't know why you brother brought Fox up. I shall be having _strong_ words with him later…" Margaret took her daughter’s hand as she came to stand next to her on the veranda.

"Oh mom...how is it possible that I'm still missing him _so_ much?" Scully rested her head on Margaret’s shoulder and cried softly.

Mulder couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Oh Dana, you’re just tired. You've been over doing it again…I told you not to run around with the boys like that. You need your rest!" Her mother scolded gently.

"Mom, I'm _sick_ but I'm not dead yet. If my cancer does kill me this time I need to make the most of the time I have left. And that is _not_ why I miss Mulder...mom I _need_ him right now, I need his strength to get me through this. I need to _see_ him…I can hardly bare the thought of dying and never seeing him again."

"Dana, if you feel this strongly can't you go to see him sweetheart? Talk to him?"

Scully shook her head sadly, "He’s a good man mom…if I turn up on his doorstep I don’t doubt he will feel enough guilt to take me on. But he doesn't really _want_ me mom...I just drag him down and hold him back. His _work_ is his whole life."

Mulder cringed to hear her use the same words he had used when he spoke to his father earlier that evening. His Scully was ill again...she could die. Dana Scully was the one person on this planet who truly needed him and he had just abandoned her.

Just then a voice came from the kitchen. "Right come on everybody, DINNERS READY!"

Everyone crowded around a large table in the main dinning room and a supernaturally large turkey was brought through from the kitchen. Margaret Scully clinked her glass and everyone around the table went quiet.

"Before you all start I would like to ask _Dana_ to say the Christmas Grace.” Margaret smiled at her daughter.

Everyone round the table went quiet as Scully thought for a second, trying to decide what to say...

"Life is full of surprises…but _every_ single day that we get to enjoy together is a gift. Please Lord, bless this home…our loving family and very dear friends.” She smiled at everyone around the table before she continued. “We have so much to be thankful for, but most of all we have _each other._ We also pray for absent family who cannot be here with us today…we pray that they somehow _know_ how much they mean to us...and that they will always be part of our heart and soul. Amen."

"Spirit, will she live?" Mulder asked as he watched the scene through misty eyes as they began to eat.

"That is the future, my realm is the present. However, if these shadows remain unaltered I believe that the young women will die. But then if she's going to die she may as well get on and do it. You don't _need_ her do you? Just one more person to drag you down…to hold you back…"

Mulder's head shot up in anger and then his face melted into despair.  _"Oh God spirit, what was I thinking..."_

* * *

Mulder woke suddenly he found himself in cold dark cemetery. Near him stood a tall dark hooded figure…

"Are you the spirit sent to reveal my future?" Mulder asked.

The spirit didn't answer and simply pointed to a spot under a tree where two men were filling in a grave. Mulder walked over and listened to the men talk as they worked. He could almost guess what was coming next.

"Poor bastard…" One said sounding genuinely sympathetic.

"Yeah…” His colleague agreed. “I was talking to the guys from the funeral service earlier and they said the funeral service was _empty_. Just one lady sat on the back row, they said she looked the right age to be his mother but they had never met her. He had left all the arrangements for his own funeral and they just sorted everything out."

"Imagine getting to his age and having _no-one_ who loves you? No one who cares enough to even attend your funeral. He’s a relatively young man...suicide wasn't it?"

"Yeah, they found alone in his apartment two days later. He worked for the government or something…the police were notified when he didn't show up for work."

They started to pack up their things and walk away, "No one will miss him much then…I wonder who the women in the church was..."

As they disappeared into the mist a figure stepped out from behind a tree and walked down to the graveside.

Mulder recognised her straight away and moved closer, "Oh Fox..." Maggie Scully placed the flowers she carried next to the mound of earth. "I hope you knew I was here today, I know it meant a lot to Dana that I be here. She just didn't have the strength to make it herself and I don't know how she would have coped."

Margaret slowly walked around to the other side of the grave and was now facing Mulder as he continued to listen. "If you could have seen what your death did to her…it knocked her back further than even I expected. She gave up what little desire she had to live. I've always loved you like a son Fox and I always will…but I don't think I can ever forgive you for what you have done to her. She was the strongest person I have ever known and she fought _so_ hard…but when she lost you…when you abandoned her…she lost a little bit of her soul. When the cancer came back she had lost so much of herself that she didn't have enough left to fight. She has tried, but only for me…and in the end I know that am just not enough."

Tears had been falling down Mulder's face as he watched this strong lady break down in front of him and now he watched her cry uncontrollable. He couldn't stand to see it anymore and turned away.

Maggie continued talking through her tears, "When I had to go and tell her what you had done she was going through her latest treatment. I almost didn't tell her you know but felt I owed her the truth...now I wish I hadn't. Oh Fox…she blamed herself. She said she should have done more…that she should have kept fighting for you. I watched the rest of my daughter die that day, her body is still fighting but her soul has gone. _You_ took that from her."

They stood by his grave for many minutes. Maggie Scully looking at the grave in silence and Mulder standing with his back to her and his eyes closed.

Then suddenly Mulder heard her speak again…

"Dana!" Maggie exclaimed and Mulder spun around the see a frail women being pushed down toward the graveside by a nurse. She was so thin, her face was gaunt and she worn a scarf round her head. Mulder sucked in a breath; he would barely have recognised her if he'd passed her in the street!

But then he moved closed and he could see her eyes. Her beautiful eyes still seemed to have something of the soul that he remembered…but they were dark and had no spark.

"I'm so sorry Mrs Scully…” The nurse said softly. “I told Dana that she shouldn't travel but she wouldn't listen to me...she was getting so worked up that the doctors decided not letting her come would do more harm."

"I am _here_ you know!" Scully snapped from her chair. " You don't have to talk around me like I'm not here! Do you think the trip will kill me mom? I'm dying anyway, we all know that!"

When Margaret walked over to hug her daughter Mulder heard Scully whisper that she was sorry in her mother’s ear. Scully looked up at both of her companions sadly, "Will you leave me alone? Just for a few minutes…then I promise I will leave quietly."

Maggie and the nurse nodded their consent and walked away to respectable distance.

Mulder waited to see what Scully would say, but she said nothing. She just sat and looked at the mound of earth…tears slowly falling down her face.

There was nothing more left to be said.

As Scully was wheeled away Mulder watched her go and glanced over at the spirit. "These things can be changed? I will have a chance to wipe those tears from her eyes and make things okay?"

The spirit did not reply.

"Talk to me damn it! Can I fix this? Send me back so that I can make this better!" Mulder broke down and fell to his knees. What had he done...how could he have allowed this happen.

* * *

Mulder woke in his apartment to find the sun shining brightly through his window. He leapt up, ran to the window and looked out at the show. Then he rushed over and picked up his phone and called the operator.

"Hello?"

**_"Yes, how can I help you?"_ **

"What day is today?"

**_"I'm sorry sir?"_ **

"What day is today?"

**_"Well…it's Christmas Day sir."_ **

"Are you sure?"

**_"Yes sir, very sure!"_ **

"Thank you!" He hung up the phone and then picked it up and dialled again. Mulder held his breath.

 

**_"Walter Skinner"_ **

"Sir, its Agent Mulder I need your help."

**_"Agent Mulder, its Christmas Day. I have already told you that I no longer want you to contact me at home. This is unacceptable behaviour…now if this is not urgent…and I mean life threatening…I shall be back in the office on the 27th.”_ **

"Sir, I need to know where Agent...I mean I need to know where _Scully_ is. You are the only person I could think of who might know."

There was a long silence.

**_"Agent Mulder, I can't imagine what brought this on but I must say I am very pleased. I do know where Dana is…she told me when she left the Bureau. I had the feeling at the time that she told me in the hope that one day you might want to find her."_ **

"Oh thank god, where is she?"

**_"She moved to San Diego with her mom a few days after submitting her resignation. Her brother Charlie lives there with his family."_ **

"Sir, would you happen know if she is ill again?"

**_"No Agent Mulder…but I can assure you that if I had received such information I would have informed you, in spite of any work related conflicts we might have. Would you like her telephone number? I believe I have it here..."_ **

"Thank you sir…but no. May I ask one more favour?"

**_"You can ASK Agent Mulder."_ **

"I'd like to request two weeks leave starting today."

**_"Do you plan on going to visit Dana in person?"_ **

"Sir, I plan on booking the next flight…"

**_"Then you certainly have my permission...and Mulder?"_ **

"Yes sir?"

**_"Don't let her go again."_ **

Mulder smiled, "I think of all people you know by now that I _can't_ live without her.”

" ** _I'm glad that you’ve finally realised that Mulder..."_** His voice suddenly seemed less hostile and more informal. **_"Good luck, and I hope see you both as soon as you get back."_**

The phone went dead and Mulder was surprisingly touched by Skinners faith in him.

Mulder immediately dialled and booked his ticket, then he realised that he would have to do a trace for her address…San Diego is a big place!

* * *

Scully had forgotten how much hard work children were, but they were keeping her going lately. _They_  never treated her like she was dying. She loved that the rest of the family cared so much…but it was only when she was with the children that she could pretend she was okay and live a little.

She was outside riding one of the bikes that the boys had got for Christmas when they heard Margaret Scully announce that it was time for cake! Scully laughed, like they weren't already stuffed with Christmas food!  
  
But the boys started rushing to the house excitedly and shouted back at her to follow. "Auntie Dana! Beat ya there!"

Scully rolled her eyes and started to climb off the bike to follow them in. As she put the bike down carefully she turned and yelped with surprise.

 _"Scully…"_ Mulder smiled softly, he couldn’t help but feel a little nervous about she reaction.

She hadn't been called that in so long and to be honest Scully didn't know _how_ to react. Her mind was telling her that she _should_ be angry. Mulder had abandoned her…let her down…treated her like she didn’t matter. She had needed him so much over the last two years and he hadn't been there.

But Scully had spent the last _two years_ yearning for this moment and she did something that old Scully rarely did…she went with what her heart was telling her and damn the consequences.

Scully smiled.

Not a 'hello' smile…or a polite smile…or a 'nice to see you' smile. A smile that displayed every ounce of love and emotion in her body, a radiant smile that almost knocked Mulder off his feet.

Then she jumped into his arms and held him _so_ tightly, it was as if her life depended on it…and in that moment Scully wondered if maybe it did.

After a couple of shocked seconds Mulder responded with equal enthusiasm. Finally they pulled apart slightly, but they both remained tightly in each others arms.

Scully regarded at him lovingly... "How did you know?" She asked simply.

"How did I know what?" Mulder asked as he gazed at her face, just happy to finally be near her.

Scully ran her hand over his cheek and a tear slipped down her face. "How much I needed you…"

"I...I need _you_ Scully, I always have...I just lost sight of myself for a while. I've been running on empty for the last two years...now I need my _soul_ back."

"Are you with me now Mulder?” Scully asked seriously. “I need to know that this is forever…I _need_ you too much to risk my heart again for anything less."

"Forever Scully. I'm so sorry…I _promise_ you that I will never let you down again." Tears began to form in his eyes.

Scully reached up to brush them away. _"Shhhh_ Mulder…please don’t cry. I love you... _so much."_

"I love you more…" Mulder joked but smiled softly.

"That is _not_ possible…" Scully stated as she pulled Mulder in for a kiss.

He lifted her up into his arms and felt her wrap her legs around his waist as they kissed tenderly and deeply. They pulled apart breathlessly and Mulder spun her around gently.

He looked up at the sky as Scully kissed down the side of his neck and silently thanked his father. Maybe last night had all been a dream…maybe it hadn’t…but either way the lessons that he needed to learn had to come from him. _Nothing_ Mulder did with his life would ever mean more to him than this person in his arms.

For the first time in two years Scully felt alive…and for the first time since her diagnosis she didn't feel like she was dying.

 

She laughed.

 

       And their souls were reborn.

            

_Together._

 

* * *

 

The whole family came to the window when they heard the commotion.

Margaret’s heart swelled…her Dana had found her reason to live.

And Bill? He smiled as well. What else _could_ he do when he saw his sister, who he had been watching slowly whither away, come back to life in front of his eyes. Maybe this Mulder guy wasn't so bad after all. This definitely needed further investigation...

 

THE END

 

 


End file.
